31 May, 2014

#BookReview :: Immersed (Ripple Effect Romance #6) by Jennifer Stewart Griffith

Immersed tour


Immersed New


Lisette Pannebaker speaks five languages and has a brilliant business plan—personal language immersion. Clients can hire her to shadow them and speak all day in any language they need to learn for business or travel—whatever. But there’s a major hitch: she’s far too pretty. Clients with less than honorable intentions sign up just have Lisette at their side. Solution? A make-under. Way under.It works like a charm. None of her male clients show her the least bit of interest. Until… Erik. Erik Gunnarsson is charming, kind, and smart—everything she’s ever looked for. Even though he seems to have a secret and she swore she'd never date a client, Lisette is tempted to shed her disguise—even if it means jeopardizing her career.




Lisette Pannebaker is a talented girl but it is her beauty that people take notice of. It has put her in quite a few odd situations including with her clients. It is difficult for her business to take off till her clients take her seriously for her language skills rather than treat her as an escort. The only solution that she can come up with is a complete make over that would hide her beauty and curves. That is when she meets Erik Gunnarson, a man of good looks, charm and money he can afford her services and look beyond her looks.

I have to admit that this was probably my least favourite book in this series. I found Lisette to be a bit hypocritical. She herself went through o many bad and awkward experiences, yet its Erik’s good looks that attracts her first. She hadn’t given him a second thought when the younger Erik had asked her out. Erik on the other hand is the kind of a guy who surely goes for looks. He barely ever talked to Lisette during the university days, yet he grooms himself over the years in a way so that his looks can appeal to her. The characters felt too shallow for my liking. However, I loved the way the author narrated situations that a girl can find herself in. The trials and sacrifices of a mother was highlighted too. 

Overall, it is an average novella that can be taken on as a light read or as a breather between two books.



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Jennifer Griffith studied French, German, Japanese, and a wee bit of Spanish in her school days. Her grandmother was Norwegian, and Jennifer grew up with lots of Scandinavian traditions floating around, including fabulous cardamom laced cookies called Krumkaker, made on a fancy waffle iron. However, she’d never dream of trying to teach someone any of those languages. And she might botch the cookies. Instead, she writes novels in English, drives her five kids a million places, and laughs with her husband, who came up with the plot for Immersed because he’s just a cool muse like that.



Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/9/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

30 May, 2014

#BookReview :: The Secret Proposal by Aniesha Brahma

Eight years ago, she was the teenager he would use to get out of boring parties. But now, he is stunned to see her grown up.
He decides to delay his marriage by getting into a false engagement with her. Then he falls in love with someone else and she forces him to move on. He comes back to her, but she’s determined not to take him back. Will she ever get over her unrequited love for him?
Would a grand gesture from him make her believe otherwise?
And how do you know that your knight in shining armour has been standing right next to you?
Join Tanveer ‘Veer’ Bhattacharya and Larissa ‘Jasmine’ Chakraborty as they embark on a journey which questions relationships, friendships and makes one wonder… how long would it take for love to eventually find a way? 



I came to know Aniesha Brahma about a year back through a blogging competition. I was amazed by her enthusiasm and the fact that she is a published author at the young age of 23. Secret Proposal is her debut work and I knew I just had to get my hands on this book and read it myself.

The Secret Proposal is the story of Tanveer Bhattacharya and Larissa Chakraborty and their on-again and off-again relationship. The story begins with Tanveer and Larissa meeting after eight years and each find the other grown up and changed. As they get into a false engagement to ward off marital questions from Tanveer’s end, Tanveer falls for another girl. When Larissa finds out, she forces Tanveer to move on and tries to move on herself. Yet, fate is not done with them. Tanveer comes back to Larissa and she is unwilling to take him back. As they fall in and out of love, the readers are taken on a bumpy rollercoaster ride with its protagonists. What does Tanveer have to do to win Larissa over once and for all? Will Larissa ever find her Knight in shining armour in Tanveer? Read this book for yourself to find out.

This book certainly has every ingredient for a Mills and Boons romance. Two very individual characters, with their own sets of strengths and flaws come together to form a story. The plot is well hashed out and as the confusion of the protagonists’ lives take over, the reader is left with a clear picture of where each character stands. There are certain supporting characters that mesh well into the story. The best part for me was to see my hometown through the author’s eyes. As a non-resident Kolkatan, I love my hometown to bits and particularly miss it during Dussera. Aniesha has captured a slice of that city, the energy of its people and the essence of the celebrations and served it beautifully in her novel. It made me feel homesick! As a romance novel, the plot is pretty predictable but the author makes up for it with her narration and descriptions. 

It is a very promising debut from this young author. I hope to read more from her in the future.


29 May, 2014

#SpecialFeature :: A Message from the #Author Ankit Jaiswal

Now Presenting:
*** SPECIAL FEATURE - May 2014 ***


Ankit Jaiswal hails from the city of Joy, Kolkata, from where he has done his schooling. He did his graduation from BCREC, Durgapur. He is currently working as a software professional in Bengaluru. He is an engineer by profession and an artist by heart. He is a movie-maniac and actively follows cricket, football and politics. He is passionate about writing and has been writing poetries since his schooldays. Most of his poetries fall under romantic genre. 'The Fragile Heart', the title which also shares its name with a series of romantic poems written by him, is his debut work in fiction. Best of his works are available on his Blog.

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A message from the author,

I’m glad that my debut novel has got good responses from the readers. I’m often asked by the readers on what has been the inspiration behind writing the novel. Another curiosity of the readers which really haunts me everywhere is that how much the novel common to my life. I feel that this is a good medium to satiate their curiosity. There are events in the novel which are derivatives of my experiences but the plot and the essence of the novel is a work of fiction. In my opinion there is no satisfaction in jotting down your own life. The inspiration behind the novel has been relationships, some which I have anchored and some which I have closely observed. The flair to play with words was always there, the only thing which was missing was a vision, which I felt could engage with the readers. And when I had developed a plot in my mind, words started to flow and surprisingly patience also glued with me until I had finished the script. The message which is very implicit in the closing phases of the novel and which I would like to quote it from there:

“Relationships have depreciated in value, they are now more characterized by impulsiveness and opportunism and less by struggles and sacrifices. The definition of love hasn’t changed; it’s the perception which has changed.”  


Love needs patience; don’t allow that feeling to fade in you, whether it’s for someone or something.


Jai, a fun loving guy, puts his heart out in a letter to propose to the love of his life, Geeta, while in the high school in Kolkata. But destiny has different plans for him. What he discovers in response is a letter which superficially throws light on her abrupt disappearance. He is shattered, his fragile heart is broken into pieces.
But you know life doesn't stop for anyone and same was the case with Jai. His world takes a quirky turn when Riya, his junior, bumps into his life in college in Bangalore. She tries to fill the void, in which he had survived for so long. They overcome their constraints and get in a relationship, Jai gets emotionally-employed.
But Jai bears the blunt of tough times when he starts to work in Mumbai and rediscovers someone whom he never expected to meet.
What will Jai do when he is bound to struggle between his past and present? Read out to find this exceptional and heart-touching journey of Jai and how he manages to keep moving after being bombarded with the twist of his life.


Giveaway
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28 May, 2014

#BookReview :: A February Bride (A Year of Weddings #3) by Betsy St. Amant

Happily ever after guaranteed. Allie left the love of her life at the altar—to save him from a lifetime of heartbreak. When a Valentine’s Day wedding brings them back together, she struggles against her family’s destructive history. Can Allie ever realize that a marriage is so much more than a wedding dress? History repeats itself when Allie Andrews escapes the church on her wedding day—in the same dress passed down for generations and worn by all the women in her family—women with a long history of failed marriages. Allie loves Marcus, but fears she’s destined to repeat her family’s mistakes. She can’t bear to hurt Marcus worse. Marcus Hall never stopped loving Allie and can only think of one reason she left him at the altar—him. When the two are thrown together for his sister’s Valentine’s Day wedding, he discovers the truth and realizes their story might be far from over. Can Allie shuck expectation and discover who she is as a bride and in the Bride of Christ? And if she ever walks down the aisle, what dress will she wear?


I recently read the Silver Linings Series – a series of romance novellas, and though I am not particularly a romance buff, I rather enjoyed the short and sweet novellas. So, when I saw this series up for grabs on netgalley, I decided to give this series a try too.

Given her family history, Allie is sure that her marriage is doomed and that she is bound to hurt Marcus. And so, she runs away jilting the love of her life at the altar. According to her she was sparing both of them a lot of heartbreaks and sufferings. Marcus on the other hand still loves Allie, even after being jilted at the altar. Their love for each other is apparent, but Allie’s fear keeps them apart until another wedding brings them together. Will their very apparent love for each other finally bring them together or will Allie’s fear win?

Allie, otherwise a very strong woman, lets her fear rule her heart. I get her point of view to a stage. Having seen numerous failed marriages and a band of men walking out on her mother, aunt and grandmother, any girl would feel insecure. Or at least have limited faith in the institution of marriage. Marcus is a charming man, who love Allie with all his heart and tries to win over her fears with it. I enjoyed reading about these two characters as their personalities are so different yet they form a complete picture together. I liked Hannah too. She could have easily blamed Allie for her brother’s heartbreak, yet she stands by supporting her friend too.

Overall, this was a fun read even though the ending seemed a bit rushed. But I guess the author had her word limit to work with and the characters itself make up  for the rushed ending.





27 May, 2014

#BookReview :: A January Bride (A Year of Weddings #2) by Deborah Raney


Who can work in a house that's overrun by contractors and carpenters? Not Madeleine Houser, a successful novelist who gladly accepts the help of her octogenarian friend, Ginny, to arrange for a temporary office in the charming bed and breakfast owned by Ginny's friend, Arthur. Maddie’s never met the innkeeper––but a friendship grows between them as Maddie and Arthur leave messages for each other each day. To Maddie’s alternate delight and chagrin, she seems to be falling for the inn’s owner––a man who's likely many years her senior––and who she’s never even met. 






I recently read the Silver Linings Series – a series of romance novellas, and though I am not particularly a romance buff, I rather enjoyed the short and sweet novellas. So, when I saw this series up for grabs on netgalley, I decided to give this series a try too.

Madeline Houser is a bestselling author who needs to get some writing done. But with contractors and carpenter having their way in her house, Madeline agrees to set up her temporary office in a Bed and Breakfast run by Arthur and suggested by Ginny a mutual friend. As luck would have it, Arthur has a way with words and who else can appreciate the fact more than an author?

This is a sweet story that was really enjoyable to read. Madeline and Arthur each have a vision of the other being this elderly person. As they exchange notes and start to fall in love, they are hesitant. Yet as it would have, they were both in their mid-thirties and with past heartaches that only further connect them. Both Madeline and Arthur are such loveable characters that it was easy to fall for them and then cheer for them. The major misunderstanding between them was because of what each envisioned the other to be like and frankly it was quite funny to read about it. Even when they finally meet and their misunderstanding cleared, it is clear that they are head over heels for the other yet vary because of their individual experiences in the past. The storyline was refreshing as I am yet to read anything similar. The writing style of the author is simple yet charming.

Reading this book is a couple of hours well spent and I would recommend it to all romance lovers.




26 May, 2014

#BookReview :: A December Bride (A Year of Weddings #1) by Denise Hunter

What started as a whim turned into an accidental - and very public - engagement. Can Layla and Seth keep up the facade in Chapel Springs this holiday season - for the sake of her career . . . and his heart?

Under normal circumstances, Seth Murphy, the best friend of Layla O'Reilly's ex-fiance would be the last person she'd marry. But the news of their upcoming (and phony) nuptials convinces a big client that Layla may be high-society enough to work for his agency, a coup that would put her fledgling home-staging business on the map. Seth has secretly loved Layla for years, even when she was dating his best friend. Maybe she'll never forgive him for the way he hurt her back then, but he has to try. And Layla is willing to keep up their engagement farce until she's landed her client. For Layla, it's the chance to save her career. But for Seth, it's his last chance to win her heart. 



I recently read the Silver Linings Series – a series of romance novellas, and though I am not particularly a romance buff, I rather enjoyed the short and sweet novellas. So, when I saw this series up for grabs on netgalley, I decided to give this series a try too.

Layla dreads attending the wedding of her ex-fiancé and her cousin, that too without a date. Seth happens to be at the right place and at the right time. Going to the wedding with her ex-fiancé’s best friend may not seem to be the best idea in the first place but being seen together helped Layla land a big client for her business. Seth on the other hand has always loved Layla. This is his one chance to make up for the hurt he has caused and maybe even make some space for himself in Layla’s heart.

The last moment stand-in date to an ex’s wedding and then ending up with that person maybe a well utilized formula for a lot of romance novels and films… But Denise Hunter narrates the story in a very refreshing manner. Her sweet yet practical narration keeps the readers engaged. I enjoyed getting to know Layla and Seth and for a moment hating Layla’s cousin. Layla is a strong and determined girl who has set her mind on her business and she would do anything to get it going. Seth on the other hand is a charming guy who knows how to turn a situation to benefit himself. That sounded selfish though he really isn’t that. The characters were well fleshed out to make this book a fun and light read. 





24 May, 2014

#BookReview :: Our Moon Has Blood Clots: The Exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits by Rahul Pandita

Rahul Pandita was fourteen years old in 1990 when he was forced to leave his home in Srinagar along with his family, who were Kashmiri Pandits: the Hindu minority within a Muslim majority Kashmir that was becoming increasingly agitated with the cries of ‘Azadi’ from India. The heartbreaking story of Kashmir has so far been told through the prism of the brutality of the Indian state, and the pro-independence demands of separatists. But there is another part of the story that has remained unrecorded and buried. Our Moon Has Blood Clots is the unspoken chapter in the story of Kashmir, in which it was purged of the Kashmiri Pandit community in a violent ethnic cleansing backed by Islamist militants. Hundreds of people were tortured and killed, and about 3,50,000 Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave their homes and spend the rest of their lives in exile in their own country. Rahul Pandita has written a deeply personal, powerful and unforgettable story of history, home and loss.



I don’t feel qualified enough to review this one hell of an emotional rollercoaster.

This is a firsthand narration situation leading up to and of the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits. The author has documented his own family’s experience and that of those around him. The horrors that the people have faced are not entirely known and while some of us have the barest idea, the real picture is something that has never been openly painted before. Reading it now, from a young boy’s point of view and narrated in a grown and experienced man’s language, it is an experience that one has to feel for themselves.

From the religious differences to the different agendas and to the brutal killings, the author hasn’t spared us any details. Imagine having to flee from your own home not knowing when or if ever you would be able to come back to it. Imagine having you friends murdered for no fault of their own. Imagine women raped and children orphaned as a natural and regular occurrence… well the last one isn’t so hard to imagine as it is our nation’s reality. But still, the effect and the toll it took on people is not something to be taken lightly and the Author has done an absolutely brilliant job of painting the picture for us.

What do we learn something from it or what do we feel something after reading it is going to be different for each one of us. But the fact remains that this is one of the best non-fiction or rather one of the best books by an Indian this year.





23 May, 2014

#BookReview :: The Son by Jo Nesbø

SONNY’S ON THE RUN

Sonny is a model prisoner. He listens to the confessions of other inmates, and absolves them of their sins.

HE’S BEEN LIED TO HIS WHOLE LIFE

But then one prisoner’s confession changes everything. He knows something about Sonny’s disgraced father.

SONNY WANTS REVENGE

He needs to break out of prison and make those responsible pay for their crimes.

WHATEVER THE COST.



I am a fan of Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole Series and had picked this one up under the initial assumption that this is the latest in the series. However reading the blurb and starting with the book makes it very clear that this is a standalone novel from Nesbo and certainly not a Harry Hole Novel.

When a Police officer commits suicide, leaving behind a note admitting to corruption, his son and wife fall into hard times with despair. Sonny, the son of the said police officer, initially shows great promise but soon becomes an addict after his mother’s death. He ends up in jail taking the fall for certain murders. However in jail, Sonny is a model prisoner… till the confession of one prisoner changes everything for him. This is a tale of revenge!

Jo Nesbo creates characters that are unique and with flaws that turn into strength. This book is no exception with its well rounded characters. The plot is quite straightforward, or the reader thinks so at the beginning. With a startling number of twists, Jo Nesbo makes this book a page turner that keeps the reader in its grip throughout. Maybe, and just maybe, the second half could have done with a faster pace, but overall, this is a well balanced thriller. The best part of the book is how Nesbo reveals the back story of the leading characters one chapter at a time, bringing new information to the reader every now and then. 

Well written Page turner that offers its readers ample action, thrills and gore! 





22 May, 2014

#SpecialFeature :: Meet the Characters from The Fragile Heart


Now Presenting:
*** SPECIAL FEATURE - May 2014 ***


Ankit Jaiswal hails from the city of Joy, Kolkata, from where he has done his schooling. He did his graduation from BCREC, Durgapur. He is currently working as a software professional in Bengaluru. He is an engineer by profession and an artist by heart. He is a movie-maniac and actively follows cricket, football and politics. He is passionate about writing and has been writing poetries since his schooldays. Most of his poetries fall under romantic genre. 'The Fragile Heart', the title which also shares its name with a series of romantic poems written by him, is his debut work in fiction. Best of his works are available on his Blog.

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Introduction to lead characters:

Jai:
A sensitive and an introvert guy, he is a carefree lad whose life is defined by the company of his close friends. He comes from a conservative background and often struggles to come out of that inertia or rather between his past and his present. He is love-stricken at first sight with a girl in high school and the incident puts an indelible stamp on his life. His life oscillates between being honest to his feelings and being faithful in his life. 

Geeta: 
A mind-blowing beauty with brains, she scores both by her looks and her talent. She is magnetic, her eyes do the talking. She is a dream girl for every guy. She is a resilient girl with a mysterious background. A girl who lives by principles, her sacrifices often goes unnoticed and her feelings misunderstood. 

Riya:
Bubbly, innocent and cherubic, she is a girl who wears emotions up her sleeves. She doesn’t shy from expressing her feelings. She is someone who can really spice up her closed one’s life. She is possessive about her relationships but at the same time very matured to take a crucial decision, even though that ends her up in disappointment.  
Will Jai listen to his heart or his mind? Will he overcome the dilemma between his past and present? Read “The Fragile Heart” to find out… 


Jai, a fun loving guy, puts his heart out in a letter to propose to the love of his life, Geeta, while in the high school in Kolkata. But destiny has different plans for him. What he discovers in response is a letter which superficially throws light on her abrupt disappearance. He is shattered, his fragile heart is broken into pieces.
But you know life doesn't stop for anyone and same was the case with Jai. His world takes a quirky turn when Riya, his junior, bumps into his life in college in Bangalore. She tries to fill the void, in which he had survived for so long. They overcome their constraints and get in a relationship, Jai gets emotionally-employed.
But Jai bears the blunt of tough times when he starts to work in Mumbai and rediscovers someone whom he never expected to meet.
What will Jai do when he is bound to struggle between his past and present? Read out to find this exceptional and heart-touching journey of Jai and how he manages to keep moving after being bombarded with the twist of his life.


Giveaway
Want your own copy of The Fragile Heart? Enter the Rafflecopter below if you are an Indian Resident
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21 May, 2014

Double Cover Blast

Tik-Tok-LogoPresents


Title: E-Day 
Author: D.T. Dyllin 
Series: M-Day #2 
Genre: Dystopian Romance 
Publisher: Tik Tok Press 
Cover artist: Lindsay Tiry 
Expected Release Date: August 2014
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Synopsis: M-Day was the dawn of a brand new harsher world. A world where old lives could be left behind and secrets buried for good. At least that’s exactly what Tammie Miles had planned. But even with her new identity as Evo, she discovers that your past is never far. When a man from her old life tracks her down, will she risk everything to keep her secrets? Or will she finally learn that maybe even she can love the right man?

Title: AleXXXa 
Author: D.T. Dyllin 
Series: Standalone 
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance 
Publisher: Tik Tok Press 
Cover artist: Lindsay Tiry 
Expected Release Date: August 2014
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Synopsis: Love and sex, sex and love… Can you have one without the other? As a world famous porn star, Alexa James thinks she has everything all figured out. But what happens when someone who gets paid to have sex has an existential crisis? Suddenly sex isn’t enough, and love seems out of reach. Will Alexa’s career choice permanently crush her spirit? Or will she discover that real love is about more than just the physical?

About the Author
D.T. Dyllin is a Bestselling Romance Author who writes in both New Adult and Adult genres. She is a member of the RWA (Romance Writers of America) and also her local chapter, the MCRW (Music City Romance Writers).
D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two spoiled GSDs.


19 May, 2014

#BookBlast :: Metamorphing by Kunal Pancholi


28THAPRIL, 2000: Flight No. 9x4876 bound to Srinagar has crash landed into the Everest Base camp. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the flight mysteriously went off the radar for few minutes and missed its landing. All passengers are feared dead… except for three bodies that are yet to be recovered.
8THDECEMBER, 2050:This, without doubt is the most gruesome murder in recent times. Early this morning, an unidentified woman was found mutilated at the western gates of the abandoned Victoria Terminus Station in Mumbai. Authorities report her head was … well … semi-decapitated and she was drained of all her blood. The shocking part - the crime scene was devoid of any signs of blood spatter…
ROHAN: He was shorter than the shortest girl in school; he had to be ahead in the game!
RUDRA:A man without a past, coaxed into a murder investigation; will he ever grasp the true nature of the crime?
A thrilling tale about two men bound by an untraceable yet undeniable fate - One running away from his past, another unaware of his own.




The Book Trailer



Lesser Known Facts About the Book:
- There is a very strong / intense story of love that is present throughout the book.
- 'Metamorphing' as such is not a real word, rather not a word that is used in the sense that it is supposed to mean (Metamorphosing). I had to spell it out to all publishers while making my submission for the book that I am aware of this fact and I was only playing with words. Was worried that I could get rejected at the mention / sight of the name of the book itself!
- A sneak peek into the college life of a student of Criminology - Learning the ropes of detection, deduction and crime scene investigation.
- There is a Vampire in the book!
- As of now its a trilogy with two parts.
- At one point in time, one part of the book was supposed to be based in the 1900s.

 

Author’s Profile


Kunal Pancholi graduated from SRCC Delhi in 2001. He completed his MBA from NMIMS Mumbai in 2006. Previously, in his professional career he has worked with banks, co-founded READO - an audio book publishing company and done a marketing stint with a film production company in Mumbai. Currently he heads Sales & Marketing at a technology start-up. He lives in Chennai with his wife, parents, sister and grand-mom.




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18 May, 2014

#GuestPost :: The Power of Fantasy by Caris McRae


Caris McRae lives with her family and her pets in Austria. A major bookworm, she reads everything she can get her hands on from fantasy to paranormal romance. With four kids, she has an extensive knowledge about fairy tales, adventure stories, and everything else children from age four to twelve like to read. However, as great as these tales are, she decided to write her own version of them – for grown-ups.

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The Power of Fantasy

My first book was Grimm’s Fairy Tales. My second one was Legends and Myths of Old. Ever since that time I was hooked on fantasy in every shape or form. I loved everything those tales: the mythical creatures, the witches and wizards, the heroes and heroines, the different types of magic; but what I liked most was the underlying moral: the good will always come out the winner, regardless. It shaped my view of the world and helped to strengthen my belief and trust in the world. 

As Neil Gaiman said in Coraline, “Fairy tales are more than true – not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.” To this day this quote is my favorite answer every time anyone asks me why I’m ‘waisting’ my time reading and writing about impossible things (and there are a lot of people asking me this; apparently real life is hard enough without adding something futile like fantasy into the mix). 

However, it is the impossible that lets us discover new things, that lets us break down the limits we imposed on our minds. It’s through fantastic stories – and all literature is fantastic – that we broaden our horizon and overcome reason, experience, and knowledge. In the safety of our imagination we are able to gain new perspectives on life, on love, on ethics. Hence my writing in which I explore unknown lands where real people have unimaginable powers. Only to see them deal with the responsibility that comes with such magic. And fail. Because to err is human. And to err is to fail. It’s how we learn and grow. 

Why is this so important for me? Easy: the only thing I’ve always resented about fairy tales was that the protagonists were rather one-dimensional and trapped in whatever role they had to play. It’s no fun reading a story about flawless, beautiful, rich people. They aren’t real people, but merely lifeless templates. And even in modern fantasy the main focus is on the adventure not on inner turmoil or personal growth. Because of that I’ve been always looking for the ‘right’ book; I read a lot and liked most stories well enough, but I never fell in love with one. 

Thus, when I came across Toni Morrison’s famous quote, “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it,” after searching for yet another tale, I decided to do exactly that - write a book myself. And I took great pains to breathe life into my characters, to make them real. My imaginary world certainly isn’t perfect and neither are its people, but then that is what makes them real. And I want to see them grow; I want to see how their decisions change them and consequently their lives. Because if I know how the heroes are slaying their dragons, I might discover a way how to slay mine. 

~~ Caris McRae


"You can’t run from your demons, Sheba An-Pyr. There will come a time to take a stance and confront them, regardless of the consequences. Even at the cost of your life. You can’t escape your destiny forever, Child. There is a time in everyone’s life when they need to rise to the challenge, to be courageous when faced with defeat – and yours is now."

In Quiliaris, strength and power are revered. Sheba An-Pyr, Princess of Fire, has neither. Neglected by her family, shunned by her people, and a murderer on her heels, she lives her life in the shadows. Trying her best to keep a low profile, she travels the lands with her Hashisin uncle as his servant, but when he is summoned to his Warrior Guild's quadrennial tryouts, things begin to change. A twist of fate allows her to partake in the trials, and with every challenge she masters, she discovers more of who she is and where her destiny lies. 
An age-old prophecy, scheming Gods, cantankerous beasts, and chauvinistic Warriors - Soul of Fire has it all. Follow the Princess of Fire as she breaks free from the chains of her past and becomes the Warrior, the Hashisin, she is meant to be. 
Because without her, Quiliaris might very well be lost.


Excerpt
So she took the left path, secretly amused about the irony of it, or inherent truth – depending on how you looked at it: the Talent-less Fire Princess who would never be a queen of any kind trying to reach for the stars; the whole thing was set for failure from the beginning. She chuckled, slightly bitter, but all in all resigned to the fact that she was who she was and always would be. 

After her argument with the Behemoth, she had thought hard about what she had told him and his replies. Though hurtful, his words had been true: in the end, he had accepted his lot way easier than she had hers. So she had set down and tried to come to terms with her life. For real, this time. 

She had realized that a part of her had still hoped that she could change her future, decide her life on her own; but it was futile. She knew where her life was going and the best she could hope for was an amiable mate. Damn, that still smarted, she thought. But if Aris could accept a life as a whipping boy, then she could accept being a trophy wife. Life had a tendency to give you a shitty hand, but even so, you had to play it to the best of your abilities. Yeah, well, she would bet her life that the idiot who had come up with this particular piece of shitty wisdom had never had a poor hand in his life. By Nyx, she hated crappy lines like that.
Going on, Sheba felt Rayza searching for her and sent him an “I’m all right” vibe through their bond. She was pleased that he hadn’t forgotten her in all that hustle and bustle, aware that he had to check out the contestants and help with the organizational side of things. Because of his shielding talent he had to contribute to the erection and maintenance of the ‘dome’ as the protective bubble over the battle arena was called; without it, Aliaenar would have been in ruins long ago. A part of her longed to fight there just once; another futile wish – it was Hashisins only.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t realize that she had reached the plateau already. As she stood there, pausing, she let her eyes roam, taking in the stunning view. Before her, the moonlight illuminated the fortress and the surrounding landscape in the most beautiful way; Sheba could even see the desert from here. With a mixture of deepest longing and ecstatic joy, she looked upon her homeland: the glittering, bright dunes called to her, sang of the day’s heat and fire; of the night’s bitter cold; of the animals born of sand; and of the people who called it home. Her body and soul responded in kind, mourned the loss of her heartbeat that was the pulse of the desert, told the tale of exile and of her longing to feel whole again.

In her lament, a single tear ran down her cheeks and dropped onto the ground below her; she never noticed though, captured as she was in the pain and desperation that had welled up in her soul and refused to be pushed down and away again. Her last wall of resistance finally crumbled, allowing her emotions to take over and spill out of her. A scream, full of despair and anger, made its way up her vocal chords, its painful echo heard all over the mountain. As the piercing sound faded, she suddenly heard an unfamiliar soft voice in her head. 

“Never fear, my child,” the voice consoled her gently. “You will see your home again and it will recognize you as its own: your land has never forgotten the child of its heart and never will. You might still have a long way to go, Daughter of Fire, but you’ve proven yourself and, thus, you will be rewarded. There will come a time, your heart purged of all its human thoughts, when you will rise to power and fulfill your destiny – but it isn’t now. Let the Flames of Light guide you and keep you unharmed. I bless you, Princess of Pyr, because you filled my soul with joy.” 

The divine presence left with a sweet, soft caress of Sheba’s soul. 

She was stunned; she, the Esendri Elementar, blessed? Certainly not for climbing up a plateau on a mountain? She couldn’t wrap her head around what happened here a moment ago; not wanting to dismiss the Goddess’ words as craziness, she nevertheless refused to deal with the content of the little speech. Sheba wasn’t ready yet to lose her humanity even if it meant to do what she was here for.

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